


The Detective's Wife

by ChocolateSyrup



Category: Detective Pikachu - Fandom, POKEMON Detective Pikachu (2019), 名探偵ピカチュウ | Detective Pikachu (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Grief, Pining, too bad Tim's mom doesn't have a name
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:29:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29904579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChocolateSyrup/pseuds/ChocolateSyrup
Summary: Based on the fact that Tim's mom is alive in the game. Harry (still merged with Pikachu) wants to go home and check on how his wife is doing.
Relationships: Harry Goodman/His Wife
Kudos: 4





	The Detective's Wife

**Author's Note:**

> I know I know, this fandom is probably sick of seeing my name by now, but once I got this idea it wouldn't leave me alone!
> 
> Yes, Tim's mom is alive in the game. She's still nameless and even though we never see her, she is mentioned by Tim but only once or twice. He says at one point "I wish I could find Dad and give Mom some peace of mind."
> 
> Me: the perfect recipe for angst!
> 
> This is also based on a theory I have that at some point, Harry puts two and two together and remembers who he is, but he hasn't told Tim yet and is just helping his son find out the truth along the way (this is just a speculation of mine, they never discover Harry is Pikachu in the game but it's heavily implied...and it turned out to be true based on the movie.)
> 
> You can imagine the movie or game characters if you want, I'll leave that up to you! But this does take place right after the ending scene in the game, which is basically Tim and Pikachu walking out of Harry's apartment to continue looking for him.
> 
> I'm also just assuming that Tim's mom lives outside of Ryme City since Tim said in the game he decided to go there two months later to search for Harry. So in this, she's only a train ride away like Tim is in the movie.

It's something he needs to do.

He's been thinking about it for a long time now and he can no longer ignore the burning _need_...so he suggests the idea to Tim.

"Can we go...investigate at home?" he asks cautiously. He really should have asked a lot sooner. Then again...he hadn't figured out the truth back then.

"You mean Dad's apartment? We just left there," Tim reminds him with a laugh. They're currently sitting together on a bench at the park, only this time they're not waiting for any news from the agency. Thankfully they're the only ones here, otherwise his partner would get odd stares his way because anyone else wouldn't have the same ability to understand the electric mouse like he does.

It's just a beautiful, relaxing spot they picked to rest for a while before they go off to look for Harry again.

Tim doesn't even know it yet, but Harry is sitting right _next_ to him.

Except Tim thinks they still haven't found Harry, so of course they need to keep looking. Pikachu isn't sure for how long. Maybe until he works up the courage to tell the truth, which might be, oh... _never._ Because if he tells Tim the truth about who he really is, their friendship could fall apart. Tim might think he's crazy and get mad, and _nothing would ever be the same again—_

Not that anything is the same right now as it had been when he actually had hands instead of paws.

He has to pull himself together, here.

"Nah, I mean... _home_ home. That's one place we haven't covered," Pikachu suggests, more than a little hesitant.

After all this time, he's surprised they haven't considered going to the one place that's most important to Harry...to _him._ He just hasn't had the guts to suggest such a thing until now.

Understanding crosses Tim's face. "Oh. Sure, I guess. It will be nice to see Mom, anyway. I can update her with everything we've done."

On the same day, Tim purchases a ticket to go out of the city. Home isn't too far, just a train ride away. Pikachu tries his best to distract himself by looking out the window. Tim hadn't even bothered arguing with him about which of them got the window seat. Eventually, nerves almost get the better of him and he settles down, sitting like a regular Pikachu would next to Tim and trying to calm himself unsuccessfully.

Tim let his mother know by calling her that they're on the way, so they don't even have to wait for her to answer the door to their house even though a part of Pikachu wishes they did.

He moves behind Tim, eager to see home again and yet not wanting to see it at all. He squeezes his eyes shut to protect himself against the waves of nostalgia hitting him hard. Times he can never go back to...warm and comforting times with his family.

He opens his eyes again, trying to ignore the opposite feeling that maybe this is _wrong,_ that he shouldn't even _be_ here.

She leads them into the kitchen where a meal is already waiting, including food that a Pikachu would like. He resists the urge to scrunch his nose; the sweets at the agency have spoiled him, not to mention coffee. Beautiful coffee. No _wonder_ he likes coffee and human food so much, because he's really...

He can just barely hear Tim introducing him to her.

"This is Dad's Pikachu, remember? He's been a really big help with his case."

She smiles widely at him. Her sweet, gentle smile that could light up an entire room.

"Oh yes, I remember you. It's so nice to see you again! I'm so sorry to hear about that awful accident you were in with Harry. It must have been so terrible."

_Falling. Crashing. Fire and an explosion...then nothing._

He shakes the crash away. He's not going to allow himself to get swept away by that horrible memory again, not while he's _here._

It's nice to see her, too. Very nice. But his legs feel numb. He can hardly breathe...but he has to pull himself together, so he does the only thing he can think of and takes off his detective hat as he used to do when he was still human. Something he can't place flickers across her expression, but it disappears.

Her smile returns.

"What a polite Pikachu he is, too. It looks like you two are partners now. Harry would have wanted that," she says lightly, her voice fading as she mentions her missing husband. Pikachu grips his hat in his paws tighter, reaching up to place it back on his head. She's right; he _does_ want that more than anything.

"We make a great team," Tim admits with a small smile of his own.

Pikachu grins. Tim has told him that once before when they went to visit the site of his accident. Back then he hadn't figured out the truth yet, but now...he almost wishes he could go back in time and return to being clueless about who he really was.

Tim leaves out the fact that he can understand said Pikachu for...well, understandable reasons. He's been great at keeping that to himself this whole time and he's certainly not going to blow it now.

His wife breaks the following silence. "Why don't you come eat, I have everything ready for you two. Tim, would you like a glass of water?"

Tim nods. "Sure. Thanks, Mom."

She obliges, getting her son a cup of water which Tim takes gratefully as he sits down at the table.

Pikachu almost jumps up onto his usual seat, but stops himself just as quick.

He _can't._ He's not...he'd just be _intruding..._ in a way, he's already intruding just by being here—

His wife places a glass bowl of Pokémon food on the floor for him. Glancing up as he starts to eat slowly, he can clearly see the way that both his wife and son stare at the empty spot where he used to sit as a human.

He tries his best to block it out, listening to Tim telling her about their investigation into Harry and also solving the R case.

"Something about Harry's partner seems different," his wife muses out of the blue.

Pikachu's ears perk straight up in the middle of chewing on his food and his eyes widen.

Could she...?

"Like what?" Tim asks, eyes darting down in a panic towards him. He's probably worried about his mother finding out that he can understand a Pikachu, but he gives Tim a reassuring smile.

His wife stares down at him, thinking hard.

Maybe she...? Pikachu suddenly can't regain control of his speeding heart.

"I'm not sure. He doesn't seem like himself, but it's been so long since I last saw him."

Pikachu allows a sigh of relief, returning to eating his meal (because he'll eat anything his wife gives him. 'Real cooking is about following your heart, not a recipe,' she used to tell him whenever he made—and failed—an attempt to try some cooking himself.)

Out of the corner of his eye, Pikachu also notices that the coffee maker that used to sit on their kitchen counter is now gone, his stomach twisting at the empty space.

His wife likely had to get rid of the painful reminder.

xxxx

Her hair looks beautiful when it shines in the sun.

It always does, sun or not.

She's sitting by the window reading on the couch. Even when he was still home as a human before he'd left to Ryme City for work, she'd always distract herself by reading and getting lost in another world for a while after long days. Pikachu doesn't even bother trying to see what book it is. All he focuses on is his wife's beautiful face as he sits on the carpeted floor next to her under the coffee table. Tim is watching television in the other room, probably the news. He's probably hoping that he can get some kind of information on his father that way, but only Pikachu knows it's going to once again lead to disappointment when nothing comes up.

His wife takes notice of him at last from out of the corner of her eye, and a small smile emerges.

She sets the book down on the coffee table. "Oh, hello, there."

He's unable to stop the sudden, pathetic whine that escapes his throat. This is just getting to be too much...

Concerned upon hearing his whine, she kneels down towards him and notices that he's looking at the ring on her finger. Even after all this time with him missing, she still hasn't taken it off.

"What's the matter?" she asks softly.

Another whine escapes. He pushes his nose up against the ring on her finger, almost hoping that _maybe_ she'll put two and two together no matter how awkward or terrifying that would be.

"You miss Harry too, don't you?"

She bends her head down to give him a light kiss on his forehead. He's almost glad he has fur now, otherwise he's sure she'd see him blushing. She runs a finger smoothly over his hat.

"Harry also had a hat like this. He looked so silly."

She laughs quietly. Her laughter is like music to his overly sensitive ears.

"Of course he'd get one for you, too. He was a detective and you _were_ his Pokémon partner. An adorable one at that."

He freezes at her use of past tense.

_I'm right here!_

But she still has no idea that her husband is right here with her, just in a different form. His _partner's_ form.

Her laughter fades away, the same sorrowful look etching itself across her expression again. The sun's glow has turned orange; Pikachu didn't even realize how much time passed. "We should probably get ready for bed. It's been another long day..."

Another. With him being 'missing,' the days probably drag on and on for her. She gets up from the floor, leaving him to his own devices.

Pikachu lets out a heavy sigh.

He knows that feeling all too well.

xxxx

He just wants to investigate one more area before bed. Tim had offered to come in with him, but he declined. He has to do this by himself, slinking inside unnoticed by his wife. He promised Tim that he'd tell him if he finds anything, which he already knows the answer to. He tries to block the overwhelming guilt out.

His office here at home looks untouched. Even some of his paperwork is exactly where he'd left it (why did he have to be so _focused_ on his work...) including his old tapes that play black and white detective movies. He sighs wistfully, resisting the urge to put one in the television and watch it. Oh, how he misses movie night. Tim used to fall asleep right on him when he was younger so he'd have to carry him upstairs to bed. This was all before he had to move to the city for work reasons. He never should have left them in the first place...

His personal coffee maker is still sitting right on his desk; his wife probably doesn't come in here as much as the kitchen, if at all. Maybe just to clean every once in a while. He's glad that this one is still here at least. He's very tempted to make some coffee for himself, but resists. He doesn't need coffee right now. He needs his _family_ and they need him.

He hops up onto his office chair, sitting for a moment to at least _try_ bringing back the feeling of being human.

It doesn't last long as he takes notice of the picture that sits on his desk of himself and a younger Tim sitting happily on his shoulders with a wide smile at the park. Down at his feet, a younger Pikachu paws at his pant leg, wanting his spot on his partner's shoulders back. It was the first time his son (and wife) had met Pikachu and they got along great.

Pikachu remembers that day very well. It was so beautiful out, and his wife had taken the photo herself.

He reaches a paw outward, running it gently over his human form.

 _I just want things to be normal again,_ he thinks tiredly.

Another picture sits on the desk across from the one taken at the park. It's him and his wife together on the day of their wedding—the happiest day of his life. Normally it would bring him joy, but now...

_I'm sorry I can't be with you anymore like I promised I would._

He's permanently stuck as a Pikachu now and she's a human. It would never work out no matter how much he wants it to.

The other, equally happiest day of his life being when Tim was just born runs through his mind. His wife holding out their new baby son for him to hold in his own arms, happy tears streaming down his face at the amazing thought of being a dad.

_I just want to be human again..._

(Mewtwo?)

Nothing.

_Mewtwo, please answer me._

Silence.

_I don't know what to do. I shouldn't be here, but don't know where else to go._

Still nothing.

_Please...change us back._

No answer.

His attention turns back to the park photo, his paw trailing down to his Pikachu partner begging to get back on his shoulders in Tim's place. This was back before everything happened and they had been un-merged...two separate beings.

Human and Pokémon side by side, not...whatever they are now.

A spark of anger flares through him. Maybe he never _wanted_ to be saved; Pikachu had no right to bring him back in the way that he did with Mewtwo's help. His voice even changed so much to the point that Tim doesn't even recognize it.

If it hadn't been for his Pikachu, he would have died in that crash.

He's not supposed to be here. He's supposed to be _dead..._

He just wants to change back to _normal..._

But that's never going to happen.

His yellow fur and lightning-shaped tail are never going to go away no matter how much he wants them to.

The hot, electric energy flows through him, just begging to come out now that he actually knows how to _use_ it.

His anger instantly dissipates at one thought.

His Pikachu partner had saved him after the accident. Mewtwo had found them both and saved them from certain doom after being chased down and Pikachu had begged the psychic to save him, putting him in his body...Harry hadn't realized it at first, but by spending more time with Tim and regaining more of his memories, he had put two and two together.

"Pikachu..." he mutters. Why would Pikachu do such a thing? Wouldn't his partner have understood that once Mewtwo made their minds fuse, there was no going back? Why couldn't Harry himself have a say? Now he's stuck as Pikachu, maybe for forever if his original body is really gone. 

His Pikachu is gone, too.

It comes to him that maybe this had been the only way he would have been able to be saved; maybe Pikachu had no other options. If his partner hadn't done what he did, then maybe he would have....Harry can't finish the horrible thought.

So Pikachu had decided to sacrifice himself for him. Surprisingly, he's anything but angry that he never had a choice in the matter—only thankful.

He pushes the crash out of his mind and places a paw over his heart, love and warmth radiating through his being. His Pikachu might be 'gone', but he can feel the Pokémon's spirit within himself. 

It was because of his Pikachu that he's still here today—that he's able to be with his family.

His wife and son. 

"Thank you," he chokes out softly, some kind of wet trickling down his red-circled cheeks. 

Oh...tears. But he smiles through it all.

If having yellow fur, red cheeks and little paws is the only way he can be with his family, he'll gladly take it.

xxxx

"Did you find anything?" Tim asks hopefully as he settles into his bed for the night.

Pikachu shakes his head. He can already see the disappointment on Tim's face.

"Nothing," he responds, the guilt nearly suffocating him inside and out.

"We'll keep looking tomorrow, right?"

The kid is going to make a great detective one day. Even if he hasn't figured out the truth yet, he never gives up.

Pikachu knows he should say no, that they should stop looking now—that Harry has been with him all along.

But the never-ending guilt that he's kept the truth from his son for so long wins out.

Pikachu nods at him from the end of the bed, trying not to focus on the tall and yellow ears that mock him. He just had to put Pikachu ears there...but he'd done it for Tim.

"Of course," he agrees, the truth locked tight in his throat and refusing to reveal itself.

_I want to tell you so badly._

But he can't. He couldn't even if he tried; It would only make things _worse._ Tim can never know that his father is closer than he thinks, that he's so close yet so _far..._

Tim seems to fall asleep a lot easier now that he's home and in his own bed, not his father's messy apartment. Except he still forgot to put the cover over himself.

Pikachu takes matters into his own paws, grabbing the cover and bringing it up carefully over his son like he used to do sometimes when he was a _human_ father.

He brushes a paw gently up against Tim's forehead, smiling fondly down at him.

If only he could tell him...

He can if he wants to. Nothing is stopping him.

He instantly shakes that thought away.

It's for the best.

"Goodnight, kid. I'm so sorry...but I'm _so_ proud of you. Never forget that."

He should have said it more as a human.

xxxx

Their bedroom door is open by just a crack. He nudges it open a little more to get inside.

With some difficulty, he just barely manages to hop up onto their bed. She's getting ready for the night; he can hear the shower going in the bathroom and soon the hair dryer. It isn't long before she comes out with nothing but a towel keeping her covered. She has yet to even notice him on the bed.

He makes sure to look away as she drops the towel and puts on her night clothes, trying desperately to chase away his... _other_ naughty thoughts.

If only he wasn't currently stuck as a Pikachu...

"Oh!" her surprised gasp reaches his ears and he turns his head towards her. "Pikachu. You scared me."

 _I'm sorry,_ he wants to say so badly to her. He didn't mean to scare her. He didn't mean to do a lot of things like go and get himself _killed—_

She doesn't try to push him away or make him get off her bed. She actually seems a little glad to have some company, which he's more than happy to provide.

Slowly, she gets into bed with him beside her. For just a moment, Pikachu almost believes he's human again. He tries his best to hang onto that feeling for as long as possible before it flutters away.

She remains sitting up in bed, looking lost about what to do next even if the answer should be obvious; she needs her rest as Pikachu had told Tim time and time again if he wants to be a great detective like him.

But she looks...afraid. Pikachu isn't stupid, she probably has nightmares almost every night that keep her awake. She looks like she wants to do _anything_ but sleep. Again, he knows that feeling all too well. Reliving the crash is the worst thing in the world, but his wife doesn't know what happened, exactly. Her mind likely conjures up the most terrifying and painful scenarios possible. All he can do is continue to be here for her even if she doesn't know it's really _him._

She reaches over to turn off the light on the stand next to the bed, but pauses with her hand midair before giving up and sighing in frustration. She settles her hand on his back, instead. He lays stock still, hardly daring to move as she begins talking to him. Her hand moves back and forth against his fur and Pikachu finds himself on cloud nine.

"Thank you for being there for Tim...for being such a good friend. Arceus knows he needs one right now with his father gone and just—everything that's happened. I'm so glad you're here, it's almost like having Harry back again..."

He closes his eyes tight, hanging desperately onto her every word.

"It's been so long and no one has been able to find anything. I'm sure you and Tim are getting closer to the truth, but...maybe it's better not to know. Maybe it's better to just try and find peace, however hard that would be. I just can't take any more of the sleepless nights, the waiting and the _wondering._ The wondering is the worst. We don't even know what happened after the crash, how he disappeared or if he was taken by someone, if he's alive or..."

Pikachu's heart breaks in two at the sound of the break in her own voice, like she's just barely keeping herself together. Without Tim in the room, it's easier for her to fall apart. She doesn't have to keep her head held high. She's probably kept all of this to herself the whole time and is only just now saying it all out loud to someone, even if that someone is a small and yellow electric mouse.

He's just a Pikachu. Not her husband.

"It's been more than two whole months. Maybe we should just think about trying to move on—"

Her eyes widen at her own words. She's been thinking them for a long time, Harry can easily tell, and finally saying them out loud sends her over the edge. He should feel shock or anger that she would give up on him so easily, but he gets...nothing. He isn't surprised. She and Tim have gone through so much since he 'disappeared,' if anything, he's surprised that Tim is still searching. After all they went through together, they still came up empty handed. Tim thinks so, at least.

His son just doesn't know the truth yet, and he's not sure if he's ever going to gather enough courage to tell him. Tim needs Detective _Pikachu_ right now, not the father who was hardly ever there for him. Tim needs a friend and if the truth is revealed, their friendship is something Pikachu would rather not risk losing.

Either that or Tim would want to try and help him get back to normal, but there just... _isn't._ There's no way for him to change back to normal. He's gone, but he's still here thanks to his partner and Mewtwo...

"Harry, where _are_ you?" his wife cries softly into her pillow, holding her ring finger with her other hand and squeezing tightly. With a heavy heart, Pikachu wonders how many times she's asked that question to herself in the night. "I miss you so much!"

_I miss you, too...you have no idea how much I miss you, even though I'm right here._

And Tim equally so.

Pikachu's heart breaks yet again with every thought his tired brain dishes out.

After all the questions that led to no answers and all the dead ends they've faced...absolutely no one has been of any help regarding finding Tim's missing father. Almost everyone thinks he's dead and in a way, he _is—_

But Pikachu knows better. As he had told Tim before, Pikachu himself had survived the accident so Harry must have, too.

Of course he had known that Harry was still alive, because he's actually...

He's still alive in a way thanks to his partner Pikachu's sacrifice. He just has to figure out a way to explain it to Tim without sounding crazy or risking their friendship falling apart. Tim already thinks he lost his father, he can't lose Pikachu, too.

Pikachu presses his soft fur gently up against his wife to let her know that someone is there with her through thick and thin, just like he'd vowed at their wedding.

_"I'm right here. I wish I could tell you..."_

He'd tell her who he really is if he could, but he hasn't even found the right way to tell _Tim_ yet. His human body is long gone and he's stuck in the body of his Pikachu partner. Just _how_ is he going to break that news to the people he loves the most without breaking their hearts all over again?

She doesn't respond. Of course she wouldn't; all she can hear is pika, pika. If only she could understand him like Tim can...but he'd still be just as hesitant to tell them both the horrible truth about what really happened.

He remains still when he feels her arms wrap around his middle as she brings him close to her chest, his fur getting wet from her tears.

Slowly but surely, her tears begin to subside. She finally finds the courage to turn off the nightlight and lay down now that someone is here with her, especially Harry's 'partner.'

"I know you two will find him," she whispers. Pikachu is glad to hear the fight back in her voice, the hope and determination returning that her husband will be found soon.

Little does Tim know that he's _already_ found him, let alone his wife.

Harry just isn't sure how to tell them.


End file.
